First three Board Members of Scotia Community Services District sworn in

SCOTIA- On Thursday night, three Board Members of the Scotia Community Services District were sworn in as the process to transfer the responsibilities of the Town of Scotia Company to the district is underway.

The Local Agency Formation Commission, or LAFCO, approved the conversion of the Town of Scotia Company into the Scotia Community Services District in 2010.

With LAFCO issuing A letter declaring the conversion formal last month, its first three board members were sworn in on Thursday night.

"We're eager to transition to a modern community with modern amenities and individual ownerships and eventually the Town of Scotia Company will go out of business when we sell the hotel and each of the homes and all of the businesses," said Frank Bacik, the President of the Town of Scotia Company.

Bacik says the main reason for the conversion is to divide all of the parcels of land in the town for private ownership.

"All modern communities essentially have private interests. Private ownership is what drives pride of ownership and citizenship and people when they are able to own their home are usually more active in the community and it makes for a better, sounder community," Bacik said.

The conversion is not a surprise to some.

"To have one person manage all these houses is kind of crazy so it's kind of just something that you could see coming in the future at some point," said Brandon Chairez, who is a Scotia resident.

The first order of business is upgrading the infrastructure of Scotia in phases, based on requirements from LAFCO. Once property is ready to be sold, the renters living there will have the option to buy the home or be forced to leave if another buyer steps in.

"There will be some transition in the community. There will be new people coming in. But that's been the case now for years," said Bacik.

When it’s all said and done, the Scotia Community Services District will be in charge of most services in the town. The Town of Scotia Company is giving the district some land when the district is ready.

"A new community services district doesn't come into effect very often. It's been almost a generation in Humboldt County. And this one will be almost fully formed at birth," Bacik said.

The final two Board Members of the Scotia Community Services District will be sworn in next month.